Wing-gate for flushing sewers



2 Sheets--Sheet- 1.

(No Model.)

-s. JOHNSON; WING GATE FOR FLUSHING SEWERS.

. Patented DQ121882;

N, PETERS, muw n m walhinglon. ac.

(No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

s. JQENSON.

f I WING GATE FOR FLUSHING SBWERS. I

Patented Dec. 12, 1882.

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UNITED. STATES PATENT i FFICE.

WING=GATE FOR FLUSHING SEWERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 268,903, datedD ecember12, 1882.

Application filed June 5, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SAMUEL JOHNSON, of thecity and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented anImproved Wing Gate for Flushing Sewers; and I hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and ex- .aot description thereof.

for flushin or cleansin sewers in which in g 7 durability.

elevation ofa gate.

gate may be fixed in any sewer where there is a heavy flow of water, soas to divert thestream into a branch or side sewer which opens into thisfirst one, and by this means cleanse it.

Referring to the accompanying drawings for a more complete explanationof my invention,

Figure 1 is a section of asewer, showing a front Fig.2 is a section of asewer, showing a modification ofmy invention. Fig. 3 is a longitudinalsection of a sewer and section of gate. Fig. 4 is an elevation of asmall gate. Fig.5 is aplan; Fig. 6, a plan of cross-sewers. Fig. 7 is aplan viewof Fig. 4. Fig. 8 is a sectional view'on line m w of Fig. 2.Fig. 9 is 'a detail of gate as shown in Fig. 8.

A is the center piece, and B B are the wings or side pieces, of my gate.These pieces may be made of any desired height, as one-fourth,

one-half, or the full height of the sewer into which they are to beplaced, and the outline of the whole is made to conform to thatof thesewer. The wings B are hinged to the center piece, A, by strips of anysuitable flexible material, U, secured to and thus connectingtheiradjoining edges, which will also provide a tight joint, rubber beingpreferable on account of its Thisis nailed or otherwise fixed to thesections, and the wings may be folded upon the center piece, so that thewhole gate can be easily introduced or removed through any ordinaryman-hole from the street. The edges of the wings and center piecewherethey fit against the walls of the sewer are also provided with aflexible projecting flap,D, against which the pressure of' the waterwill act and cause it to close, thus making a water-tight joint.

The gate will be set at a small angle with the perpendicular, and abrace, E, is hinged to the back of the center piece, its foot standingout at an angle with the gate and resting upon the bottom of thesewer,where there is usually enough sediment to prevent its slipping.

From the top of the center piece a standard or bar, F, extends upward toabout the top of the sewer,'and a wedge, G, is driven in between it andthe top of the sewer, thus holding the gate firmly in place andpreventing it from floating away. A cord or chain,H, is attached to thisbar, and is led thence up to a crossbar or other point of'attachmentwithin the manhole well, where it is fixed, so as to be easily Thisserves to pull the standard accessible. F away from its fastening whenit is desired to let the accumulated water escape, and at the same timeit prevents the gate from being carried away.

In some cases I employ agate formed all in one piece, as shown in Fig.4, and having the brace E at one side. This gate should be set at anangle across the sewer, so that one edge will bind against the side ofthe sewer, while the brace projecting back from the other side and at anangle, as shown, will hold the other side up. This form of gate will beuseful where there is but a light stream of water to be diverted. It mayhave a cord or chain attached to it, as before described, so that it canbe removed and prevented from flowing away.

In some cases where there is a heavy flow of water in the sewer it willbe found neces wings are not rigidly joined together, but are securedtogether by a flap, I, of flexible material, which will form awater-tightjoint between them. In this gate a brace, E, is connectedwith the center piece above the top of the gate, and braces against thesides of the man-hole well. In order to remove this, gate when desired,I employ a bar, J, which extends down through the man-hole and in frontof the standard F. Two nuts are fixed in the standard F, andcorresponding holes are made in the bar J, through which crank-screws Kpass and screw into the nuts. A lever or any suitable power may then beapplied to the upper end of the bar J to turn it and the' gate, so as toallow the water to flow past it and escape.

These gates are preferably made of plank,-

one and one-half or twoinches thick, and the edges where they restagainst the sides of the sewer are so beveled that they will fit closelyand have a good bearing. The joints where the wings meet the centerpiece are also beveled,so that when they are turned back to the pointwhere they are to stand when in place in the sewer the beveled edgeswill meet, and will form a brace to preventtheir being forced too farback. If made ofother or thinner material, flanges might be formed uponthe exterior and uniting edges, being beveled, as before described.

This gate is to be used where sewers meet or cross each other, each onehaving distinct outlets, and where it is desirable to concentrate theflow from both or all into one or another passage tor a time in order tocleanse it. In such cases it often occurs that one sewer may have aheavy flow ofwater, or such aflow may be temporarily provided. When itisdesired to direct this flow into another sewer opening out from thisfirst one, the gate is introduced usually ashort distance below theman-hole well, (unless in the case where a full gate is to be used,) andis fixed at a small angle, as before described. The wedge G is drivenbetween the standard F and the top of the sewer,'and the brace E setinto position so as to hold the gate rigidly in place.

The flexible-joint-torming hinges 0 allow the wings to be folded forwardupon the cen ter piece, for the purpose of introducing the gate throughthe man-hole, after which they are opened out until their outer edgesrest against the sides of the sewer, where they will stand at a slightangle with the center piece, the beveled meeting-edges preventing themfrom going too far back. The flexible pro: jecting flaps D upon theirexterior edges will be allowed to flow through it as long as necessary.

The gate is easily removed, as before described, by pulling upon thecord H, when the standard F will be released from the wedge, and thegate, being then pulledforward, will float upon the surface of thewater, and may be allowed to remain until the current has subsided, whenit may be removed by folding the wings upon the center piece andwithdrawing it through the man-hole.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire tosecure by'Letters Patent, is-

1. A sewer-gate, A 13, having the exterior edges curved and beveled, soas to fit the sides of the sewer when the gate stands at an angle,

and provided with the flexible flaps D around the edges, and theinclined brace E, standing at an angle so as to brace against the sideor bottom of the sewer and retain the angularly-placed gate,substantially as herein'described.

2. A sewer-gate consisting of the center piece, A, and the wingsB,beveled to fit,'and having their meeting-edges hinged together byflexible strips (3, and their exterior edges provided with flexibleflaps D, in combination with the hinged brace E and the standard or barF, wedged or braced against the top of the sewer, substantially as andfor the purpose herein'described.

3. A sewer-gate consisting of a vertical central piece, A, having abrace, E, by which it may be fixed within the sewer, in combination withtwo or more wings, B or B, hinged to the central piece by flexiblewater-tight strips G, and having exterior projecting flaps, D, so thatsaid gate may be folded for introduction or removal, and when openedwill form a tight dam within the sewer, substantially as hereindescribed.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

SA M UEL JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

G. W. EMERSON, L. H. NoURsE.

